Connection for hames, collars, or the like.



No. 734,073. PATENTED JULY 21, 1903.

. W. C. LAWSON.

CONNECTIN FOR HAMEVS, COLLARS, 0R THE LIKE.

APPLIoATloN I'ILBD. H1B. 14. 190s.

' N0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES PATENT :Patented July 21, 1903.

OFFICE.

CONNECTION FOR -HAMES, COLLARS, OR THE LIKE.

SPECIFCATION forming part of Letters Patent o. 734,073, dated July 21,1903. Application filed February 14,1903. Serial No. 143,369. (Nomodel.)

To a/Z whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, WILLIAM C. LAWSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rural Retreat, in the county of Wythe and State of Virginia,have invented a new and useful Connect-ion for Hames, Collars, or theLike, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for connecting hames, collar-sections,or similar portions of a harness; and the object is to provide a verysimple structure which is completely housed against injury or accidentalunfastening and in which certain of the parts perform double functions,thus reducing the number of elements employed to a minimum.

The preferred form of construction is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawingsmhere- In- Figure l is a view in elevation of the lower portionsof two elements connected. by the improved means. vertical sectionalview through the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line3 3A of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section taken on thelines 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Similar reference-numerals indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

In the embodiment herewith illustrated the members are designated by thereferencenumeral 10, and forming a part of these members are sleeves 11,in which the lower ends of the members are secured by suitablek fastening devices 14. The remaining portions of these sleeves are in theform of hoodsl, one of which is provided witha reduced portion 16, whichtelescopes within the other.A

A latch 17 is pivoted by means of a suitable rivet 18 within the hoodcarrying the reduced portion 16, and this latch projects beyond the endof the same, being arranged to engage Within the other hood portion. Itis provided with a plurality of hooks 19, that engage a cross-bar 20,extending across the adjacent hood, the latch thus constituting anadjustable connection between the two members. Said latch is alsopreferably provided with a suitable thumb-piece 2l, which depends aslight distance below the hood and constitutes convenient means wherebythe device maybe unfastened. This thumb-piece Fig. 2A is a longitudinal'vin active relation by means of a spring 22,

having its intermediate portion coiled, as shown at 23, one end of thespring bearing against the top of the latch, the other end 24 'beingosetand projecting through one of a series of openings 25, formed in thereduced portion of the hood. This projecting portion constitutes afstopthat is thus carried by one of the sleeves and is arranged to abutagainst the adjacent end ofjthe other, as shown in Figs. l and 2. Theprojecting portion is so arranged that when passed through one of theopenings `and abutted against the end of the adjacent sleeve, asillustrated in Fig. 2, the end hook of the latch will be in properposition to engage over the ,cross-bar 23. If the projecting end 24 ofthe spring is placed in the other opening, the second hook will beproperly positioned over the cross-bar when'the two members'are placedtogether.

o It will be evident. that this structu re is very simple and can bemanufactured at small cost. The members are so constructed and protectedthat they arenot liable to'become injured or accidentally deranged.Furthermore, the

' spring which holds the latch in its operative position performs adouble function, as the projecting end thereof constitutes a stop lwhichproperly positions the members,so that the hooks of the latch willengage the cross- ,bar, and the movement of the members toward eachother is thus limited. It is also t0 be noted that the spring maybeadjusted or changed from one position to another by the 'hand andWithout the necessity of employing tools of any nature.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, andmany advantages ofthe herein-described invention will be apparent tothose skilled in the art without further description, and it will beunderstood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, andminor details of construction may be resorted to Without departing fromthe spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure' by Letters Patent, is-

IOO

1; Ina connection of the class described, the combination with themembers to be connected and movable toward and from each other, ofamovable latch carried by one member and arranged to detachably engagethe other member, and a spring carried by the member having thelatch andbearingagainst said latch, said spring having a portion that abutsagainst the other member and constitutes a stop to limit the movement ofthe members toward each other. y

2. In a connection of the class described, the combination with themembers to be connected, of a movable latch carried by one member andarranged to detachably engage the other member, and a spring carried bythe member having the latch and bearing at one end against said latch,the other end of said spring projecting from the member and constitutinga stop which is arranged to abut against the other member to limit themovement of the members toward each other.

3. In a connection of the class described, the combination with themembers to be connected, of telescoping sleeves constituting parts ofthe members, a latch pivoted within one sleeve and arranged todetachably engage within the other,and a spring bearing against thelatch and having one end projecting from the sleeve and constituting astop which abuts against the other sleeve.

4. In a connection of the class described, the combination with themembers to be connected, of telescoping sleeves constituting parts ofthe members, a cross-bar arranged within one sleeve, a latch pivotedwithin the other sleeve and having a plurality of hook portions arrangedto engage the cross-bar, the sleeve carrying the latch having aplurality of openings, and a spring bearing against the latch and havingone end that is arranged to be projected through the openings of thesleeve, said end constitutingastop that abuts against the adjacent endof the other sleeve.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflxedmy signatu re in the presence of two witnesses.

W'ILLIAM C. LAWSON.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. SIGGERs, FLORENCE E. WALTER.

